Best Lawyers in America for Litigation - Environmental
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State
Benn Vincent is a litigation attorney at Kean Miller in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, representing businesses and individuals in complex disputes where regulatory, technical, and commercial issues intersect. He approaches each matter with focus, preparation, and strategic judgment, recognizing that effective advocacy requires a clear understanding of both the legal framework and the real-world business considerations at stake. Benn’s practice centers on Energy Law and Environmental Litigation...
Allan Gates practices in the areas of environmental law and litigation. He is counsel to private parties, public interest groups, and trade associations in environmental regulatory matters and appears regularly before state agencies, including the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment and the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission. Allan also serves as defense counsel in hazardous waste and Superfund actions before state agencies, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ...
Thomas C. McGowan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law and Litigation - Environmental. Thomas C., who practices law in Omaha, Nebraska, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thomas C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Gary R. Sheehan Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law, Litigation - Environmental and Water Law. Gary R., who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Gary R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kevin Kiely has developed a successful national and international litigation practice representing clients in trials and administrative-contested cases throughout the United States. He has also handled cases in Canada, Asia, and Europe. He is the head of Cable Huston’s litigation and trial practice group and was the firm's managing partner for more than 12 years. In 2016, he was appointed to be the General Counsel for the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon.
David N. Luder is the firm's managing partner. He maintains a varied arbitration and litigation practice covering a broad spectrum of industries and disputes. A key focus of David’s practice is financial services arbitration and litigation. He regularly represents domestic and international broker-dealers, banks, hedge funds and registered investment advisors in FINRA and AAA arbitrations across the country and institutional clients and individuals before regulatory bodies at all stages...
Michael Naughton is a seasoned environmental litigator with more than 40 years of experience handling environmental issues, including regulatory compliance. He frequently advises on real estate transactions, providing environmental counseling regarding the sale, purchasing, and leasing of commercial property. In addition, he advises clients with cleanups and redevelopment of contaminated properties on matters of environmental due diligence and contractual allocation of environmental risks in ...
Drawing on years of experience at the EPA as acting general counsel and principal deputy general counsel, Kevin advocates and delivers results on behalf of his clients. His guidance in complex matters related to clean air, climate, clean water, pesticides, potentially toxic substances, and hazardous materials proves invaluable to clients attempting to navigate government agencies and regulations. Kevin Minoli leads Alston & Bird’s Environment, Land Use & Natural Resources Washin...
Lee H. Ayres is principally a trial lawyer. He has extensive experience in civil litigation, including business and commercial disputes, oil and gas litigation, property disputes, natural resources litigation, products liability claims, professional malpractice defense, trucking defense, personal injury claims, fraud claims, insurance coverage, and insurance bad faith defense. Lee received his undergraduate and law degrees at Louisiana State University Law Center, where he was a member of the...
Amy Parker Beeson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Environmental. Amy Parker, who practices law in Houston, Texas, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Amy Parker is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. She is a seasoned trial lawyer with a distinctive edge in commercial matters, specifi...
Former Chair of the American Bar Association's Superfund and Natural Resources Damages Litigation Committee, Shoshana (Suzanne Ilene) Schiller (she/her) is a partner in the firm’s litigation group, handling a wide range of disputes with particular experience in CERCLA, cost recovery, contribution and real estate litigation. Shoshana is AV® Preeminent® Peer Review Rated* through Martindale-Hubbell® and a Senior Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, trying jury and non-...
Francis A. Citera is Co-Chair of the firm's Products Liability & Mass Torts Litigation Group and Co-Chair of the Chicago Litigation Practice. Frank has 30 years of experience defending purported class actions, toxic tort actions, and other complex litigation in both federal and state courts. He has tried many cases, including an action by the Government to enforce a unilateral administrative order, an allocation case among potentially responsible parties, and a complex product liability, ...
Walter G. Watkins, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Environmental, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. Walter G., who practices law in Jackson, Mississippi, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Walter G. is held by other top lawyers in the same ...
John P. Manaut is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Environmental, Litigation - Insurance, Litigation - Land Use and Zoning, Litigation - Real Estate and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. John P., who practices law in Honolulu, Hawaii, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John P. is held by othe...
Diana Silva is a partner with Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP, where she concentrates her practice in environmental litigation, including statutory contribution and cost recovery actions, toxic tort claims, contractual disputes, and administrative enforcement actions. She also counsels clients on environmental regulatory compliance matters, as well as permitting related to land development issues.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.